Catalogue binder



Feb. 3, 1942. I 'r. M. DUNHAM 2,271,734

CATALOGUE BINDER Filed Jan. 13, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Y JI l I I l T I l I I Thomas/l4. Dunbczm- Feb. 3, 1942. T. M. DUNHAM 2,271,734

CATALOGUE BINDER I Filed Jan. 13, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Thomas M Dim/70172 Patented Feb. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CATALOGUE BINDER. Thomas M. Dunham, Aurora, Ill.

Application January 13, 1941, Serial No. 374,143

3 Claims.

My invention relates to binding devices of the type in which binder units for catalogues, pamphlets, loose sheets or the like, are detachably mounted and arranged in a supporting base or holder.

An important object of the invention is to provide binder units of simplified construction and readily and easily releasable means for holding the units in proper assembly on the supporting base or holder.

Another important object is to provide supporting means at the ends of the base for normally receiving wings against which the contents of binding units within the base may rest to facilitate paging therethrough.

A further object is to provide means on the jaw elements of the units whereby, when catalogues or the like are to be inserted into a unit before mounting of the unit on the base, one of the jaws of the unit may be applied to the holding means at either end of the base, and a detached wing applied to the other jaw to serve as a lever for opening of the unit for reception of catalogues or the like.

My invention also embodies other features of construction and arrangement, and all the various features are incorporated in the structure shown on the drawings, in which drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of a binder structure;

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on plane IIII Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section of a binder unit on plane IIIIII of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on plane IVIV Fi ure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged section on plane V- Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a front elevation of one end of the base showing the manner of supporting a binder unit and the use of a wing for opening the unit for reception of catalogues or the like.

The supporting base for the structure comprises a bottom plate having along its front edge the depending flange Below the rear edge is the vertical plate |2 serving as a prop to hold the base structure inclined to facilitate access to the various catalogues or the like in the binder units. The wall IZ may be secured to the base H] as by screws I3 extending through the base plate and the flange H on the plate I2. Mounted on the lower end of the plate I2 are rubber buttons |5, and similar buttons l6 are secured to the under side of the base plate along the front end thereof, these buttons preill venting scratching or marring of the table or stand on which the device is supported.

At each end, the base plate II] is deflected upwardly to provide an end wall l1 and is then deflected horizontally inwardly and then downwardly to form supporting rails l8. Along the front of the base plate l0 extends a frame IQ of inverted U-shaped cross section whose front leg at its lower end is secured to the flange H of the plate ID as by Welding, the rear wall of the frame having the inwardly directed flange 2|! seating against the inside of the base plate In and. secured thereto as by welding. Extending along the rear edge of the plate I0 is a similar frame 2| having its outer leg welded to the plate l0 and whose inner leg has the flange 22 which may be received by the screws or bolts |3 which secure the vertical prop wall |2 to the base l0. To further secure the frames l9 and 2|, their inner walls may be Welded to the ends of the rails l8 on the end walls, as indicated at 23.

Against the outer side of each end wall I1 is secured, as by welding, a plate or strip 24 whose upper portion is offset outwardly from the end wall so as to provide a slot or pocket 25. These slots or pockets normally support rectangular wings 26, the pockets receiving the inclined flanges 21 on the wings so that the wings will extend diagonally upwardly and outwardly for supporting the contents of the binder units Within the base structure. At its outer end each wing has the strengthening flange 28 which may be at right angles with the wings. As shown on Figure 6, the strips 24 may be provided with laterally deflected flanges 29 engaging against and welded to the inner wall of the frame l9, these flanges then forming abutments at the front ends of the slots or pockets 25 for facilitating insertion and aligning of the wings in the slots.

Each of the binder units comprises similar V-shaped jaws 30 formed integral, of sheet metal and having depending flanges 3| oppositely recessed at a number of spaced apart points, as indicated at 32, for receiving pivot members such as balls 33. At each of these balls, a spring 34 of circular cross section receives the flanges and engages with the jaws at the bases of the flanges,

these springs tending to swing the jaws together for clamping between their ends catalogues, pamphlets, loose leaves or the like to be bound in the binder unit. At their ends, the flanges 3| continue a distance beyond the ends of the jaws to form pivot portions 35 for supporting the units on the base or holder. The outer portions 36 of the jaws 30 are deflected back toward the jaws to provide slots or pockets 3! whose function will be referred to later.

Through the inner wall of the front frame 19 of the base plate are spaced circular openings 38, and the inner wall of the rear frame 2| has downwardly extending slots 39 opposite the openings 38. To insert a binder unit in the supporting base, its pivot portion 35 at one end thereof is inserted in one of the holes 38 in the frame [9, and the pivot portion at the other end of the unit is applied in the opposite slot 39 in the frame 2|, the unit being then supported for lateral swing. For locking the units to the supporting base, a locking element 40 of inverted U-shaped cross section is slidable in the rear frame 2|. This locking member has vertical slots 4! extending through its top and inner wall for registration with the slots 39 in the frame 2 l and slots 42 extending laterally from the lower ends of the slots M to leave locking tongues 43. When the locking slider element is shifted for registration of its vertical slots with the slots 39 in the frame 2 I, any binder unit may be removed from the supporting base by first swinging it upwardly to remove its rear pivot portion 35 from the corresponding slot 39, and then by longitudinally shifting the unit for withdrawal of its front pivot portion 35 from the corresponding opening 38 in the front frame It. Conversely, to apply a unit to the base, its front pivot end is first inserted in one of the openings 38 and its rear pivot end is inserted into the opposite slot 39. When the slider plate is shifted, the locking tongues 43 thereon will be extended across the slots 39 and over the rear pivot portions 35 of the binder units and the units will thus be locked against removal from the base. A knob 44 is provided on the locking slider for ready manipulation thereof.

Preferably the locking slider is normally held in its locking position by spring means. As best shown on Figures 4 and 5, an abutment block 45 is secured, as by welding, on the base wall l0 between the sidewalls of the locking slide, and a housing or barrel structure 46 is secured to the locking slide in alignment with the abutment block, and a compression spring ill is secured at its outer end to the outer end of the barrel and its inner end may be secured to the abutment 45 as by welding. This spring functions to normally hold the slider in its normal position in which its locking tongues 43 extend across the slots 39 in the frame .2! for locking of the binder units to the base. Unlocking movement of the locking slide will be against the compress-ion of the spring and when the knob 44 is released, the spring will reset the locking slide to its locking position.

Normally, as shown on Figures 1 and 2, the Wings 23 will be held within the slots 25 to serve as supports for the binder contents during reference thereto. Where it is desired to open a binder unit for addition or removal of catalogues or the like, the binder is first removed from the base and then, as illustrated on Figure 6, one of serve as a lever for readily opening the binder jaws for removal of material therefrom or for applying material thereto which is to be bound. After such operation, the wing is restored to its normal position on the base and the binder unit is removed and mounted on the base.

I thus provide a practical and efficient binder assembly on which binder units, normally locked against removal, may be readily released and removed, and in which parts of the assembly will serve for supporting binder units and easy opening thereof for removal or insertion of catalogues, pamphlets, loose leaves or the like.

I have shown a practical and efiicient embodiment of the features of my invention, but I do not desire to be limited to the exact construction and arrangement shown and described, as changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim as follows:

1. A binder assembly for catalogues, loose leaves or the like, comprising a mounting base having front and rear walls between which binder units may be mounted, binder units each comprising spring pressed jaws having tongues extending parallel with their ends to provide slots between the tongues and ends, means at the ends of said base providing transversely extending slots, supporting wings having flanges engageable in said slots to form lateral supports on the base, said base slots being each adapted to receive the tongue on one of the jaws of a binder unit for support thereof and the slot on the other jaw of said unit being adapted to receive the flange of one of the wings whereby said wing may function as a lever for opening the unit for the reception or removal of catalogues, loose leaves or the like.

2. A binder assembly comprising a mounting base for binder units, means defining a slot along one side of said base, binder units each comprising parallel spring pressed separable jaws with the outer portion of each jaw deflected back to provide a tongue and a slot between the tongue and the jaw, a supporting wing having a flange normally engaged in the slot on said base, the tongue on one jaw of a unit being adapted, after removal of said Win to be inserted in said base slot, and the flange of said wing being insertable in the slot of the other jaw whereby said wing may function as a lever for opening of the unit for reception or removal of catalogues, loose leaves or the like.

3. A binder assembly comprising sheet metal walls forming a mounting base for binder units,

binder units each comprising parallel springpressed separable jaws with the outer portion of each jaw deflected back to provide a tongue and a slot between the tongue and the jaw, means providing a slot on one of said walls, a sheet metal supporting wing having detachable engagement in said slot, the tongue on one jaw of a unit being adapted, after removal of said wing, to be inserted in said slot for thereby supporting said unit on saidwall, and said wing being insertable in the slot of the other jaw whereby said wing may function as a lever for opening of the unit for reception or removal of catalogues, loose leaves or the like.

THOMAS M. DUNI-IAM. 

